Every Grammys Best Contemporary Instrumental Album winner
25 ceremonies, 2001–2025. 21 different winners.
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album was first awarded in 2001, so it does not run the full 2000–2025 window.
It was previously known as Best Pop Instrumental Album.
It took its current name in 2015, when it moved out of the pop field.
Snarky Puppy ×3Booker T. Jones ×2Taylor Eigsti ×2
Joe Jackson'01
Larry Carlton and Steve Lukather'02
Norman Brown'03
Ry Cooder and Manuel Galban'04
Various Artists'05
Burt Bacharach'06
Peter Frampton'07
Beastie Boys'08
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones'09
Booker T. Jones'10
Larry Carlton and Tak Matsumoto'11
Booker T. Jones'12
Chris Botti'13
Herb Alpert'14
Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer'15
Snarky Puppy and Metropole Orkest'16
Snarky Puppy'17
Jeff Lorber Fusion'18
Steve Gadd Band'19
Rodrigo y Gabriela'20
Snarky Puppy'21
Taylor Eigsti'22
Snarky Puppy'23
Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer featuring Rakesh Chaurasia'24
Taylor Eigsti'25
Wins by label
- Sony315%
- GroundUP210%
- Warner210%
- A&M15%
- Anti-15%
- ANTI-Records15%
- Other1050%
5 further wins have no label on record and are not counted in the 20 above.
5 of these 25 wins have no label on record, so the bar covers the other 20.
Who kept losing
Counting nominations in this category only, 2001–2025. Excludes 2 nominations credited to Various Artists, which names a compilation rather than an act.
Most nominated, never won
- Kirk Whalum6 noms
- Dave Koz4 noms
- Gerald Albright4 noms
- Kenny G4 noms
- Spyro Gyra4 noms
- Boney James3 noms
Most losses
- Kirk Whalum6L · 0W
- Dave Koz4L · 0W
- Gerald Albright4L · 0W
- Kenny G4L · 0W
- Spyro Gyra4L · 0W
- Boney James3L · 0W
The full list
| Year | Winner | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Taylor Eigsti (Plot Armor)beat 4 others
| Not credited |
| 2024 | Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer featuring Rakesh Chaurasia (As We Speak)beat 4 others
| Not credited |
| 2023 | Snarky Puppy (Empire Central)beat 4 others
| GroundUP |
| 2022 | Taylor Eigsti (Tree Falls)beat 4 others
| Not credited |
| 2021 | Snarky Puppy (Live at the Royal Albert Hall)beat 4 others
| GroundUPmusic |
| 2020 | Rodrigo y Gabriela (Mettavolution)beat 4 others
| Rubyworks/ATO |
| 2019 | Steve Gadd Band (Steve Gadd Band)beat 4 others
| Not credited |
| 2018 | Jeff Lorber Fusion (Prototype)beat 4 others
| Shanachie |
| 2017 | Snarky Puppy (Culcha Vulcha)beat 4 others
| GroundUP |
| 2016 | Snarky Puppy and Metropole Orkest (Sylva)beat 4 others
| Impulse! |
| 2015 | Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer (Bass & Mandolin)beat 4 others
| Not credited |
| 2014 | Herb Alpert (Steppin' Out)beat 4 others
| Shout! Factory |
| 2013 | Chris Botti (Impressions)beat 4 others
| Columbia |
| 2012 | Booker T. Jones (The Road from Memphis)beat 4 others
| ANTI-Records |
| 2011 | Larry Carlton and Tak Matsumoto (Take Your Pick)beat 4 others
| Vermillion/Forward |
| 2010 | Booker T. Jones (Potato Hole)beat 4 others
| Anti- |
| 2009 | Béla Fleck and the Flecktones (Jingle All the Way)beat 4 others
| Rounder |
| 2008 | Beastie Boys (The Mix-Up)beat 4 others
| Capitol |
| 2007 | Peter Frampton (Fingerprints)beat 4 others
| A&M/Polydor |
| 2006 | Burt Bacharach (At This Time)beat 4 others
| Columbia |
| 2005 | Various Artists (Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar)beat 4 others
| Solid Air |
| 2004 | Ry Cooder and Manuel Galban (Mambo Sinuendo)beat 4 others
| Nonesuch |
| 2003 | Norman Brown (Just Chillin)beat 4 others
| Warner Bros |
| 2002 | Larry Carlton and Steve Lukather (No Substitutions: Live in Osaka)beat 4 others
| Favored Nations |
| 2001 | Joe Jackson (Symphony No. 1)beat 4 others
| Sony Classical |
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